Motor vehicle cleaning apparatus having rotary brushes mounted on pivoted carriers



Dec. 25, 1951 RQSSEAU 2,579,866

MOTOR'VEHICLE CLEANING APPARATUS HAVING ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTED ON PIVOTED CARRIER Filed Aug. 5, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l ZSrnventor Zea J Z 0us5eaw BB QM! @ttornegs Dec. 25, 1951 L. J. ROSSEAU MOTOR VEHICLE CLEANING APPARATUS HAVING ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTED ON PIVOTED CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1944 (mornegs L. J. ROSSEAU MOTOR VEHICLE CLEANING APPARATUS HAVING ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTED ONPIVOTED CARRIER Dec. 25, 1951 Filed Aug. 5, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 (Ittornegs L. J. RossEAu 2,579,365 MOTOR VEHICLE CLEANING APPARATUS HAVING ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTED ON PIVOTED CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 25, 1951 Filed Aug. 5, 1944 3nnentor Ottornegs Patented Dec. 25, 1951 MOTOR VEHICLE CLEANING APPARATUS HAVING ROTARY BRUSHES MOUNTED ON ,PIVOTED CARRIERS Leo J. Rousseau, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Minit-Man, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 3, 1944, Serial No. 547,837

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in cleaning, washing and scrubbing apparatus for motor vehicles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which will quickly and conveniently clean vehicles such as automobiles and the like in a relatively short time and which may be employed for cleaning vehicles of usual body contour and design without necessitating laborious manual operations during the cleaning operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle washing and cleaning apparatus in which the vehicle to be cleaned is conveyed through the various cleaning stations so that the vehicle will be washed, scrubbed and rinsed as it passes along the conveyor way in a relatively short period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle cleaning and washing apparatus of the above-mentioned type in which all of the various'body surfaces of the vehicle will be cleaned by a series of uniquely positioned motor driven rotary brushes so disposed and arranged as to facilitate the cleaning and scrubbing of such body surfaces of the vehicle as the top, fenders and apron in a single cleaning operation as the vehicle is conveyed or passed through the cleaning apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle cleaning, washing and scrubbing apparatus in which the cleaning or scrubbing brushes are mounted for oscillation toward and away from the vehicle body on opposite sides thereof to compensate for the irregular body surface being operated upon and to yieldingly urge certain of said brushes inwardly in the direction of said vehicle from opposite sides of said vehicle whereby said brushes may yieldingly engage the vehicle body surfaces under suflicient tension to remove dirt and the like therefrom without marring or scratching the vehicle body finish.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle cleaning apparatus of the abovementioned type in which the vehicle is propelled or driven onto an endless conveyor so that the wheels of the vehicle may be rotated while engaged by a rotary motor-driven brush presented to the conveyor and engageable with the vehicle wheels.

Other objects and advantages will'become ap parent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Eig11re 1 .is a plan view of the vehicle body cleaning and scrubbing apparatus embodying the invention illustrating the manner in which the various cleaning brushes are disposed and ar: ranged for cleaning the irregular body surfaces of the motor vehicle;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the invention illustrating the position of the cleaning and scrubbing brushes during the passage of a vehicle through the cleaning apparatus;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the cleaning apparatus showing the horizontal brush for cleaning the top of the hood and body of the vehicle during the passage of the vehicle therebeneath Figure 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention illustrating a wheel cleaning mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the wheel cleaning mechanism shown in Figure 4.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustrating the invention like reference characters will be employed throughout, the reference character 5 will generally be employed to designate a fabricated frame structure disposed above a conveyor pathway having guide channels 6 for receiving the wheels of the vehicle to be cleaned. The conveyor channelways 6 may be imbedded in the floor of the cleaning plant in spaced apart parallel relation, and a suitable chain conveyor mounted therebetween having a flight arm for engaging the vehicle to convey the same along the pathway.

The fabricated frame structure 5 is comprised of a series of uprights "i, 8 and 9 arranged in pairs disposed on opposite sides of the channelway 6. The lower ends of the vertical uprights are embedded in the concrete flooring in the same fashion as the channelway 6 and the upper ends of the uprights are connected by horizontal longitudinal I-beams l0 likewise disposed on opposite sides of the channelway 6. Transversely extending channel beams ll, l2 and I3 bridge the horizontal channel beams l0 directly above the respective uprights I, 8 and 9, thereby completing the frame structure and said beams may be fastened together in the conventional manner as by means of rivets or nuts and bolts.

Secured to each of the uprights l adjacent the lower portion thereof is a bearing bracket 14 and mounted on the transverse horizontal chan nel member II in vertical alignment with the bearing bracket is a similar bearing bracket IS. The bearing brackets l4 and I5 are adapted to support vertical shafts 16 for accommodating an oscillatable bracket I! having a tubular bearing portion l8, parallel arm portions l9 and a tubular bearing portion 20 connecting the ends thereof. A coil spring 2| encircles each of the shafts i6 and has its lower end in abutting relationship with the bearing bracket l4 and its upper end in engagement with the tubular bearing portion l8 of the oscillatable bracket H. Rotatably mounted in the tubular bearing portion 29 of the oscillatable bracket i1 is a vertical shaft 22 having an enlarged lower end portion upon which is supported a rotary brush 23. The rotary brush 23 may comprise a series of bristles carried by the hub portion 24 or a series of spaced discs 25 formed of fabric or the like suitably held in place and spaced by spacers 25. The lower portion of the flexible brush 23 will be arcuately curved as at 21 to conform to various body contours of the motor vehicle. The upper end of the shaft 22 is provided with a bevel gear 28 adapted to be drivingly engaged by a bevel gear 29' secured to the armature shaft 39 of an electric motor or the like as at 3|. The'base 3201: the motor 3| is secured to a platform by bolts or the like and said platform is welded or otherwise secured to one of the arms |9 of the oscillatable frame IT. A bearing support 34 is formed on the platform support 33 to support the free end of the armature shaft 30.

The rotary brushes 23 are yieldingly urged inwardly toward one another by means of coil springs 35 which have one of their ends hooked in an aperture in an arm extension 36 secured to the horizontal channel beam H and the opposite end of the coil spring is received in an opening in an arm 31 secured to the shaft l6. The collar 38 of the arm 37 is affixed to the shaft by means of a transverse locking key 39. The rotary brushes 23 are adapted to engage the apron and side portions of 'the vehicle hood during the passage of the vehicle through the washing apparatus and the curved portion 21 of each brush 23 is adapted to engage the arcuate surface between the hood and the fender of the vehicle as indicated in Figure 2.

Pivotally secured to the vertical upright 8 on each side of the trackway 6 is an oscillatable frame 40' having parallel horizontal arms 4| connected adjacent the free ends by vertical bar members 42. The inner ends of the parallel horizontal bar members 4| are pivotally secured to a shaft 43 supported on the upright 8 by means of suitable bearing brackets 44 and 45 bolted to the uprights 8 and horizontal transverse channel beam |2 respectively. The oscillatable frames 49 are mounted to swing in a horizontal plane on the vertical shafts 43 in substantially the same manner as described in connection withthe oscillatable swinging frame One of the horizontal parallel bars 4| of each oscillatable frame 413 is provided with a bearing member 45 for receiving the rotar shaft 41 the upper end of which is journalled in a suitable bearing member 48 carried by the free swinging end of the upper horizontal parallel bar 4| of the oscillatable frame 4i); A rotar brush 49 has its hub portion slidably mounted on the rotary shaft 41 and keyed thereto by means of a suitable key 5| so as to permit vertical sliding movement of the brush 49 but prevent relative rotation between the brush and the shaft. Secured to the extreme upper end of the rotary shaft 41 is a bevel gear 52 adapted to be .drivingly engaged by a bevel gear 53 on the armatureshaft 54 of an electric motor 55. The electricmotor. 55 has its base .bolted or otherwise secured to a platform 56 secured to the upper parallel horizontal swinging arm 4| and a vertical bearing support 51 secured to the platform 56 for supporting the armature shaft 54 and preventing movement of the gear 53 out of engagement with the gear 52. A I

The upper end of the shaft 43 is provided with a collar 58 having a radially extending arm 59 to which is attached a coil spring 60 which has it other end received in a suitable aperture in a bracket arm 5| secured to the horizontal channel member or beam l2. The lowermost horizontal swinging arm 4| of the oscillatable swinging frame 4!! is provided with an extension 62 for being engaged by a stop screw 63 adjustably mounted in the bracket plate 64 affixed to the lower portion of the vertical standard 8 by bolts or the like. A hand wheel 65 is secured to the outer end of the adjusting screw 63 to facilitate rotation of the adjusting screw and the movement thereof into the path of the arm 62 to limit the inward swinging movement of the oscillatable bracket 49 and the rotary brushes 49. The rotary brushes 49 may be formed in substantially the same manner as described in connection with the rotary brushes 43 and may comprise a series of flexible disc-like sheets of fabric 65 held in spaced relation on the hub 55 by suitable spacing collars 6?.

The horizontally swinging brushes 49 are adapted to swing inwardly and be yielding urged into engagement with the sidewalls of the vehicle body on opposite sides thereof so as to remove dirt and foreign matter therefrom when the vehicle is being passed through a washing and scrubbing appartus, and if desired, the brushes 49 may be given a slight reciprocating motion by providing rollers 68 on the lower portion of the hub 58 which are adapted to engage a cam trackway 69 on the bearing member 46 so that as the brushes are rotated, the hub 58 of the brush will be reciprocatedto increase the cleansing action of the brush on the vehicle body.

It is to be noted that the transverse bracing means for the fabricated frame structure comprises parallel channel beams I3 spaced apart a suificient distance as indicated in Figure 1 for supporting a horizontal rotary brush to swing vertically about a horizontal axis. As shown in Figure 3, a pair of relatively short shafts H are mounted at each side of the fabricated frame structure and are supported at their inner ends by downwardly depending bearing arms 12 bolted or otherwise secured to transverse bracket plates 13 affixed to the underside of the channel beams. A bearing portion 14 is formed in the bearin bracket 12 to support the inner end of the shaft H as indicated in Figures 1 and 3. l he outer ends of the shaft ll are supported in the bearing brackets i4 bolted or otherwise secured to the upper ends of the vertical standards 9. Each of the bearing brackets i4 is provided with a bearing portion #5 for accommodating the shafts. Oscillatably mounted on the shaft H is a rotary brush supporting frame l6 which is similar in construction to the brush supporting frames I1 and 49 and includes a pair of parallel side bars '1! connected by transverse parallel bars 18. The inner ends of the bars I! are mounted upon the shaft H and the free swinging ends thereof are adapted to support a rotary shaft 19 having one end held in place by a collar keyed thereto as at 8| and the opposite end held against the lateral movement by the collar 82 of a pulley or the like 33. The collar 82 is provided with a transverse locking m 84 similar to the locking pin 81. R0- tatably carried by the shaft '19 is the hub '85 of a rotary brush 86 which may be formed of a series of flexible disc fabric members 81 suitably spaced and held in place by spacing collars 88. The hub 85is slidably mounted on the shaft 19 on longi tudinalkeys 89 so as to permit longitudinal sliding movement thereof but prevent relative rotation. Each end of the hub 85 is provided with a disc Behaving a series of diametrically opposed rollers 9I for engaging cam tracks 92 alhxed to the arms I1. An electric motor 93 is supported on a suitable platform 96 extending between and connected to the parallel channel beams I3 and said electric .motor has its armature shaft provided with a pulley 95 for receiving a belt 96 or the like trained over a pulley 91 on one of the shafts II. The shaft I9 is rotated through the medium of a pulley 99 on one of the shafts II keyedor otherwise secured thereto over which is trained a belt 99 driving relation with the pol ley 83 on said shaft. Retaining collars Hill are secured to the inner ends of the shafts 'II on each side of the bearing brackets I2 and arms "ll so as to prevent longitudinal displacement of the shafts 'II.

In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, an endless conveyor N is mounted in a recess IBIS which interrupts the channelways 9 so that said conveyor will bridge the gap formed by said interruption and permit the continued travel of the vehicle after it has been momentarily arrested I able bolts or the like and said brackets are formed with spaced arms having bearing openings for receiving shafts I98. Secured to Each of the rotary shafts IE6 is a drum I09 for supporting the conveyor belts I05 which are flexible andare provided with a supporting plate I Ill arranged therebeneath to support the Weight of the vehicle. The backing plates I I 9 are secure-cl to transverse supports I I I having their ends secured to the vertical Walls of the recesses.

Also supported in each of the recesses I96 is a bracket II2 for supporting a motor H3 which is drivingly connected with one of the shafts I99 by suitable gearing II4.

Mounted between the vertical uprights and on. opposite sides of the pathway 6 is a bracket H5 having its base flange anchored to the floor by bolts or the like I15. The other flange of each of the brackets is provided with spaced lugs III arranged in opposed relation for supporting an oscillatable brush supporting frame I 48. A pivot pin II!) is extended through a tubular bearing member I28 formed on the oscillatable frame and has its ends received in said lugs III. The oscillatable brush supporting frame II8 includes upper and lower spaced parallel frame bars I22 connecting the tubular bearing portion I While the opposite ends are connected to a frame bar I23. The uppermost frame bar I22 of each oscillatable frame is extended as at I24 and has affixed to the end thereof a bearing member as at I25.

Extending through the bearing member I25is It is intended to form said longitudinal brush I2'I formed of flexible fabric or bristles in a similar manner to the brushes shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. One end of each of the shafts is provided with a bevel pinion gear I28 adapted to mesh with a bevel pinion gear I29 on 'a drive shaft I30 supported in suitable bearing brackets I 3 I seemed to the uppermost frame bar I22. Also supported on each of the oscillatable brush supporting frames H3 is an electric motor I32 having the armature shaft drivingly connected to the shaft I38 by a suitable coupling I34.

Formed in the tubular bearing portion of each of the oscillatable brush supporting frames H8 is an extension I35 for being engaged by a coil spring I36 so as to yieldingly urge said frames toward one another and centrally with respect to the vehicle pathway 5. A projection I3! is formed on each bracket l I 5 for engaging the opposite end of the coil spring I35 and forming an abutment therefor. Also projecting from each frame I I3 is a limiting stop I39 f or engaging a stop screw I49 carried by said brackets to limit the inward swinging movement of the oscillatable frame and maintain the rotary brushes I 51 in position for engaging the wheels Wof the vehicle V.

In operation, the vehicle V is conveyed or driven forward through suitable liquid spray apparatus and is finally passed through the fabricated frame structure after being sufficiently wetted to dissolve a portion of the dirt on the vehicle so that the horizontally swinging brushes 23 and 49 will engage the various surfaces and body contours of the vehicle such as the hood, side panels, and outer portions of the fenders and exert a brushing action on the Wetted body surfaces. Initially, the front portion of the hood is engaged by the vertically swinging horizontally rotating and reciprocating brush to remove dirt and foreign matter from the central portion of the vehicle hood as well as the top as indicated in Figure 2. After the vehicle has advanced a slight distance the rotary brushes 49 engage the outer side portions of the fender to similarly remove dirt and foreign matter therefrom. Upon continued travel of the vehicle V, the rotary brushes 23 engage the fender wells between the hood and fenders so as to scrub the fender well portions and the panel portions of the hood. As this occurs, the rotary brush 86 will be in an elevated position to scrub and cleanse the top wall of the vehicle and upon further continued movement of the vehicle, the brush 86 will swing downwardly by gravity to cleanse and scrub the rear portion of the top and apron of the vehicle. By reason'of the spring tension, yieldingly urging the brushes 23 and 49 toward one another, the correct pressure may be applied to the brushes to insure the proper cleansing action and facilitate the removal of dirt and'foreign matter from the vehicle body. After the vehicle has passed through the scrubbing and cleansing apparatus, the horizontal rotary brush 86 will swing to the limit of its downward movement as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, so that the crest of the hood of the next vehicle passing therethrough will engage said brush and permit the same to be elevated to various positions conforming to the body contour of the vehicle.

For consideration of the operation of the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, it will be assumed that the wheel cleansing brushes I2'I are installed beneath the brushes 25 and below the oscillatable rotary brush supporting arms I! and that the vehicle V has been driven or conveyed to the conveyor treads I05 so that the wheels W thereof will rest on said treads momentarily.

With the vehicle in this position, the motor I I3 is energized to cause said wheels W to be rotated as they pass onto said conveyor tread I05 and until they pass to the channelways 6. While the rotary brushes-23 are cleaning the fenders and hood portions of the vehicle V, the brushes l2? will engage the wheels W thereof and cause said wheels to be cleansed and brushed simultaneously with the cleaning by the brushes 23.

As the vehicle V travels forwardly after the front wheels of the vehicle have been cleaned, the rear wheels are rolled onto the conveyor treads so that they may be cleaned while the-vehicle is momentarily arrested. If desired, the rotary brushes I21 and oscillatable frames K29 supporting the same may be supported on the vertical uprights I of the fabricated frame structure and the vehicle pathway including the channelways 9 may be interrupted at any convenient location to permit the installation of the conveyor treads I05.

The vehicle V is then passed through a drying process to dry the various body surfaces and, if desired, the parts of the body not acted upon by the rotary brushes may be manually cleaned by wiping the same with a chamois or other cloth;

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is: a I

1. In a machine for cleaning the irregular body contours of vehicles movable along a vehicle pathway, a frame positioned adjacent said vehicle pathway, a brush carrier movably mounted on said frame for generally horizontal motion toward and away from a vehicle on said pathway, yielding means connected to said brush carrier for yieldingly urging said carrier toward the body of a vehicle on said pathway, a vertical motordriven shaft journaled on said brush carrier and movable therewith toward and away from said vehicle body, and a rotary brush on said shaft having a side portion and a convexly-rounded portion thereon engageable with said irregular body contours.

2. In a machine for cleaning the irregular body contours of vehicles movable along a vehicle pathway, a frame positioned adjacent'said ve hicle pathway, a brush carrier movably mounted on said frame for generally horizontal motion toward and away from a vehicle on said pathway, yielding means connected to said brush carrier for yieldingly urging said carrier toward the body of a vehicle on said pathway, a vertical motor-driven shaft journaled on said brush carrier and movable therewith toward and away from said vehicle body, and a rotary brush on on said frame for generally horizontal motion toward and away from a vehicle on said pathway, yielding means connected to said brush carrier for yieldingly urging said carrier toward .the body of a vehicle on said pathway, a vertical motor-driven shaft journaled on said brush carrier and movable therewith toward and away from said vehicle body, and a rotary brush on said shaft depending from said brush carrier and having a side portion and a convexly-roun'ded portion on the lower end thereof engageable with said irregular body contours. 1

4. In a machine for cleaning vehicles movable along a vehicle pathway, a motor-driven endless tread device mounted in said pathway for engagement by and beneath awheel of said vehicle on said pathway and connected to rotate said wheel independently of the normal rotation thereof resulting from the motion of said vehicle along said pathway, a support positioned adjacent said tread device, an oscillatable brush carrier movably mounted on said support for motion toward and away from the side of said wheel, yielding means connected to said brush carrier for yieldingly urging said carrier toward the side of said wheel, and a motor-driven rotary brush mounted on said brush carrier and movable therewith into engagement with the side of said wheel.

5. In a machine for cleaning vehicles movable along a vehicle pathway, a motor-driven endless tread device mounted in said pathway for engagement by and beneath a wheel of said vehicle on said pathway and connected to rotate said wheel independently of the normal rotation thereof resulting from the motion of said vehicle along said pathway, a support positioned adjacent said tread device, an oscillatable brush carrier movably mounted on said support for motion in a generally horizontal direction toward and away from the side of said wheel, yielding means connected to said brush carrier for yieldingly urging said carrier toward the side of said wheel, and a motor-driven rotary brush mounted with its axis of rotation dis- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,823,222 Whitsitt Sept. 15, 1931 1,909,869 Randrup May 16, 1933 1,962,167 Zimmer' June 12, 1934 2,025,780 Rosebrook Dec. 31, 1935 2,253,539 Steinhilber Aug. 26, 1941 2,257,255 Yingling Sept. 30, 1941 2,318,996 Holmes May 11, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 113,999 Germany Feb. 1, 1899 

